1. The Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to an improved electrical contact and more particularly to a contact used in elongated mating plug and receptacle connectors terminating multiple flat conductor cable.
2. The Prior Art
The wide spread use of multiple conductor electrical connectors in communications equipment, data processing equipment, and other related equipment, has caused a continuous need for improved conductor assemblies and for improved contact structures for use in such assemblies. However many problems must be solved in designing such connectors and contact structures to obtain the maximum flexibility and use of these devices.
One such problem is that of compatibility. More particularly it is not practical to design new connector or contact structures unless they are compatible with existing equipment, since it is prohibitively expensive to replace a large number of existing connectors each time an approved device becomes available. New connectors and contacts must therefore be designed within the constraints opposed by the requirement of compatibility with existing equipment.
All electrical connector and contact structures must also be constructed to guarantee a positive electrical connection when they are in use. This is often done by making the cooperating contact elements resilient. However, in multiple conductor devices, dozens of resilient contact structures are often pressed into engagement with one another. If each of the contacts includes a stiff spring member to guarantee a positive electrical connection, a tremendous force could be required in order to mate the plug and receptacle components of a multiple conductor connector. Therefore each contact structure must be designed to have a resilient contact surface for guaranteeing a positive electrical connection but must have a spring force which is sufficiently light that the plug and receptacle portions of the connector can be mated with a minimum of force. Yet the contact structure must also be formed so that the light spring portion maintains its shape and resiliency and insures a positive electrical connection each time the connector portions are mated.
The problem of assembling and repairing multiple conductor assemblies is also highly significant since each connector may include dozens of individual contacts. The contacts therefore must be designed such that they can easily be assembled into the body of the conductor. It is also important that the contacts be designed so that they can be easily removed if damaged or worn out. Furthermore it is preferable that the contacts be designed so that they can be used in both plug and receptacle portions of a multiple conductor connector assembly since use in both portions of a connector eliminates a need for separate inventories of contacts and also reduces manufacturing costs. The manufacturing cost is also preferably minimized by designing the contact structure so that it can be formed with a minimum number of manufacturing steps from a single piece of metal.
An additional problem existing in the prior art is the lack of a connector which provides adequate solutions for the problems described above and is also capable of use with multiple flat conductor flexible cable. The use of multiple flat conductor flexible cable is extremely convenient and desirable in many situations and accordingly a need exists for a conductor which is capable of wide spread practical utility with such cable. Although connector and contact structures available in the past have attempted to resolve one or more of the problems discussed above, none has been completely successful in resolving all of them. Accordingly connector and contact structures available in the past have all included one or more undesirable features which cause them to perform unsatisfactorily or be unreasonably costly to manufacture or be extrodinarily difficult to assemble. Consequently there is need for an improved connector assembly and contact structure which resolves in a satisfactory manner the problems set forth hereinabove and other related problems.